Eragon's Second
by Bobitha
Summary: Story Now On Hold. A new story explaing all excess characters is now in the works.
1. Before The Battle

Gimmeh your kind words that tell me what you like, don't like, or just think is useless. 3 If they you flame it, I'll ignore yee and then move on.

Prolouge.

"Enter the forest dark and cold, seek the one new or old, start your journey reversed in order, all the way until begings border. See the colors that reside, follow the path that seems to hide, wander free but you will see, why this forest hid from thee. The dangers here quite are real, once you enter fate gains it's seel, never seek what isn't true, never follow the liers hue. never forget you've been told, what this forest seems to hold, your gift of life will be mine, if you wander the path of time."

The prophet had spoken again, her words were erelivent to him. He had given her the gift to see what lie in wait and all she could do was predict things that were allways prevented. He was growing restless. He wanted her to tell him something new. "I grow tired of your words that mean nothing. How can you be gifted so well to see ahead and only give useless and already known information? You can go back to your cell." The man turned his back to her and he left the room. Five people came in from there and took her off to somewhere new. What lay in the back round were two round stones. One the most pure white with no other indication upon it, and the other the deepest violet. That was the last sight before...

In the middle of the forest, in the highest of trees sat an Eagle's nest with four eggs inside. The Eagle had just swooped in and landed when Eragon passed underneath. He glanced up and saw the bird glaring at him as if to say, 'that flying reptile is a danger to my eggs!' He just went on ahead. It had been two months since the battle. He was heading north with Arya, Saphira, and Murtagh to reach Du Weldenvarden. This had not been his choice but the Varden's. He was still wounded slightly from his fight with Durza but who knew how things would plan from there. He just decided to move on and plan when he reached it. He spoke to no one about anything.

Seven Months Earlier.

"Thats good child. Thats perfect. After losing that fate ful battle. I feared it would be difficult to regain and joy. You have shown me differently. Now you must be trained in all manner

of ways. To fight, cast spells, and most of all find the missing piece to this puzzle. Find him and don't make mistakes. Do what you must to convince him, just don't reveal my truths."

Murtagh wandered along thinking about the last thing Galbatorix had told him. He had tricked him into believing that there was nothing bad about him, the Varden was evil, the dwarves and elves had been hunting him, and the dragons he had to kill were going to kill him if he didn't. He felt foolish now for believing him. So now he would fight with Eragon. His friend who had trusted him even after learning who he was.

Eight Months Earlier

"Come my daughter, there is much to do! Must'nt lose time. Take this to the Varden. Make sure if they catch you to send it to the nearest person who can proctect it. You know whom that is. Ride to the Varden and give this to them to find the next rider. Be careful."

Arya could not help but to think of the elder who had sent her to bring the egg to the Varden. She had just gotten over the effects of her containment. She was finaly back to a normal like state. She rode with only her thoughts to acompany her.

They had decided to camp just before they left the enclosure that had hidden Farthen Dur; however, they would be leaving tommorrow heading north west back to the path that Eragon and Murtagh has used to reach the dwarven city.  
It was Eragons choice, he had wanted to return to Daret. The Varden had heard news that Galbatorix was sending out urgals everywhere throught Alagasia to take every city under his control. He wanted the poeple to do his bidding until he found Eragon. They had nine days to reach the city in time to help save the people. For smaller cities the people had much less of a chance to survive. Eragon had refused to allow the people to be killed like the ones in Yuzuac had been. So the four of them would head in that direction, Angela would meet them by the Ramr river. From there they would wind around Alagasia avoiding the King and saving the city.

Of course after they had defeated the Urgals they could not stay longer than a day. From there they would have to instantly ride out. As a diversion Angela would send three horses that knew their way to Terim to confuse Galbatorix into following them there. While they would indeed be heading North into the Spine. Eragon had chosen it because it was large enough to creat a base ground for them and was vastly feared by many people.

When the next morning came they rode quickly at an steady, but quick pace. They only stoped to eat lunch and allow the horses to rest. Each, except Eragon, had two horses. This made travel slightly quicker. Eragon rode Snowfire in the morning and in the evening he kept watch with Saphira. This continued for the first two and a half days. They reached the river on the evening of the third day.

"Hello everyone!" Angela greeted them warmly. "Glad to see you made it. In three days no less! I cannot imagin how you managed! Well Lets get a move on."

They all began to cross the river like they had done the first time.

They had gone about twelve leagues after the river and camped for the night. They only ever stayed in one camp for three hours. They rested in the peak hours of the night. When the stars and moon began to fade in the very slightest tint they went onward. On the eve of the eigth day they were close enough to the city that upon Saphira, Eragon could see the walls. They were not about to enter the city with a dragon though. They had a member of the Varden in the city, who was hopefuly at the moment making sure the city was ready for the battle. He most likely had gotten the news a few days before so they had hoped. They stoped close to the city and would enter the next morning.

When the next morning came, Saphira hid in the trees while the rest of them went into the city. There was no sign of anyone in the first two streets as they went inward they heard people talking in the center.

"What are we to do? The Urgal army will be here in less than a day! Where would we send them? How far would they get before the Urgals came and destroyed them after taking us down? Do you really think you have friends who can come? There are no riders left to help us. We are going to fight with our people in a few selected homes. We are going to defend our city and we will not flee like you say!" A man cried out and many others cheared to him.

"Please don't be fools! We have a chance to defend ourselves and this city! My friends will come and they will help us to defeat the army. You have no choice but to flea! If they stay they will be killed! They have a chance to survive if we send them away! We can send them any where, Carvahal, Yuzuac it wont matter as long as they are not here, this is the first city they will hit! We must fight them and slow them from reaching other cities as well!" The speaker had an elegant tone. By the sounds of things it was a she.

"You cannot promise us anything! All you have are your foolish words." The first speaker they heard raged back.

While they were arguing Eragon and his companions slowly made their way through the crowd to stand beside a blonde woman who seemed to be the one from the Varden. Arya rush forward and embraced her.

"We have come to help you sister. If they will not stay and fight for their city then I will." Arya spoke with soft even words. Her words struck the people. After seeing the people who chose to help her they were more reluctant to argue.

"There are only five of your friends here? Ha what can they do to help?"

For the first time in the entire adventure Eragon spoke. "Not five, six." As he said the word six Saphira landed in the middle of the small crowd. The space was just large enough for her to land with ease. The people in the crowd gasped. "We will fight the Urgal army with your help, or without. Like you've said there is one day left, so start preparing to leave or fight. Those are your only two options." He crossed his arms and stood there eyeing the people coldy, but still demanding respect in the gaze. 


	2. Fights in the Town Already

I don't own anything! Well only the few characters I make up. 3 But other than that I don't own it. Just what they decide to do, is what I own.

Chapter two.

"How do we know that you aren't with the enemy? How can we know you aren't under his direct control? I say we kick them all out of town and let the Urgals have 'em!" This brought an uproar with the rest of the town.

"He isn't part of the enemy. He wouldn't have let us see his dragon." The words came from a little gilr who had her arm wraped around her stuffed bear. "He isn't lieing either." She was so young she still had the touch of an innocent.

"Perhaps you sir, would like to leave the city? You obviously wont do much within the maner of protection, nor will you allow any other to do the previously mentioned job in your place. When a child knows they can help before you can points out that you have serious issues to deal with. If your willing to stake the entire towns safety on a petty maner such as honor, then perhaps we have more to worry about." An aged woman stood outside the circle the crowd had made. "You may have more work to deal with than you may want, but hopefully when this is all over you will come to see things in the correct maner. As for the rest of you, it does not seem to be that all of you are required to stand about and listen to an argument. I am most certain there is an army of deranged creatures headed this way." She barked the last words seemingly as an order. More than half of the crowd dispersed and hurried to follow the orders they were never given.

Eragon sliped to her side without any one watching. "Thank you."

"No need for formality. There is a battle that will lay it's self at our door step. Since you may not have been here for quite some time there are many renovations since your last vist. Such as the change to the outer wall? Please follow me."As she led him to the area she wished to show him she corrected peoples mistakes. She moved here and there forcing the laggers to get to work. She was quick and to the point. When someone attempted an arguement she would use a few short words to convince them they were being foolish. Out of respect or how well she could run a town in a crisis Eragon followed her in scilence.

"How silly of me. Perhaps you wish to unpack? Meet me back in the center square in an hour. Go along now." She said all of that absently as she went off to help so people.

Eragon shook his head and found the others. He told them about the woman and then they all agreed to go back to the stables they had left their mounts. Once there they met the owner who seemed to wonder where their horses had materialized from.

"Excuse me sir," Angela inturupted. "I think I can help. These are our horses, we need a place to leave them." The stable man looked up and noded.

"We have a few tooms available for you to use if you need 'em. It wont cost you much. Since your helpin' our town anyways. If you need anything just ask." He tiped his hat to them and went off into his inn.

"Well that was nice. Lets get to work." All of them set to work on getting their weapons ready.

Once they had all suited them selvs properly they left the stables, giving 4 gold pieces to the owner for letting them use it, and wandered about correcting somethings here and there. Arya went to the other woman who's name seemed to be Alymay, Murtagh went to find the smith to help sharpen weapons, Angela went to find the alchemist's shop, saphira was still in the center playing nicely with children. "In times of such dispair children forget their usual fears to find joy." The old woman spoke to Eragon from behind him.

"It's just different from how the others reacted."

"others?"

"Yeah, err nevermind. What was it you wanted to show me before?"

"Oh yes, right this way sunny boy." The old woman walked off to the front of the town. "About four months ago we had a series of small attacks from Urgals, since then we have built an outer wall for defense, this way we have more of a chance to defend our town from those creatures. There are a few places they hit the most that need strength." The old woman shook her head. "I hope it is kind enough to assume some things at the present? Alymay has related the facts she knows about you. She told me you were a rider, proven fact, she told me you had a habit of being kind one moment and demanding the next, proven fact, and she said you can speak the ancient laungauge. So what hope do you have to give in strength to these walls?"

Eragon smiled slightly,"I hope to add strength to them. About two months ago I was criticaly wounded by the shade known as Durza. Since then I could hardly do anything. My physical strength had left me for a time in shambles. In that time I chose to practice my other skills. I am sure I can manage just enough for a bit of extra protection. I will be sure to return to the inside the city by mid day." and he began to look at the wood for signs of weakness. Then he noticed the scattered soil everywhere. It seemed to be freshly over turned. "Deloi moi" the ground shook and the dirt moved from the ground and packed it's self around the wood. It created a kind of shell around the walls. "stenr reisa" He combined the word for stone, and rise, to have stones rise all around the walls. It seemed more like a mountain than a town when he was done. The decieving look he had hoped for was in place. "Thrysta deloi" With the final words, used to push it all together in one hard shell, he began to head back. He felt tired and week, but at least he had given them more protection. He left three exsits. One to the North, one to the South, and on secret passage that can only be found from the inside, leading to the west.

He gathered his thoughts and began to walk through the city. On his walk back to the stable he saw children being ushered into the center of the city, crying and holding onto their parents. A select few were more reluctant to leave their home. He just kept on walking thinking it was most wise to leave the parents to do the work. On His way through inspecting people he noticed Angela lounging on the steps to what apeared to be the town erbalist's shop.

"Hoping to catch a nap there?" Eragon teased her. She looked almost sad.

"Don't be so silly. How do you catch a nap?" She responded.

"Err, I have no idea. Why are you siting here? Waiting for time to pass or are you just bored?"

"wyrda, yawë" she told him. She got up and left after that.

He wandered on and wondered what that was supposed to mean. "Fate, a bond of trust," he muttered to himself. "What in the world is that supposed to mean?" He just shruged off the strange feeling and went to find the old woman. He found her next to Saphira. The two of them seemed to be almost meditating. He sat down on the woman's right and did the same. After the days events he needed some time to collect his thoughts.

"Eragon, wake up." Murtagh poked him in the shoulder, Eragon in a kind of trance, shot his arm out and used talon like fingers to hold onto his friends arm. He threw Murtagh before he even knew what was happening.

"I'm sorry." He jumped up to help him.

"No problem. I didn't need that feeling in my bum anyways.

The old woman cackled and opended her eyes. "No one told you never to mess with one who's mind is on vacation eh?" She cackled as she went back into town leaving Eragon and Murtagh alone.

"She worries me." Murtagh whispered in an almost respectful tone. "Oh well want to spar with me?" Murtagh lifted his blade in ready position.

"Right now, right here? All right." with that Eragon removed Zar'roc from his side and replaced it into his hand. "Gëuloth du knífr." he dulled the two blades and then he stood in ready postion also.

Murtagh took the first move. He attempted to send a slash to Eragons side and in the final seconds he pulled a reverse butterfly movement. Eragon managed to block, however, just in time. He moved in a complex pattern that seemed random at first but combined the movements such as: slash to the left, pull back half stab to the head and drop quickly to aim at his stomach. He moved slow at first but soon enough the two of them were a blur of each other. Every blow was as quick and sharp as the previous. While they had been sparing a large crowd gathered around them.

After twenty minutes of the flying patterns, trick moves, ducks and dives, they both managed to dissarm each other with the same move in the same second, they burst into tear renching laughter. They laughed until their sides hurt and their eyes leaked. The others didn't understand what the two of them thought was so funny, they just stared.

The next day the town was so tense you could feel it in your very bones. The army was expected to arive somewhere around midnight. Eragon slept until 10 a.m. without meaning to. Without regret he left the room he had been allowed to use and went out into the town. He walked around checking on all of the people. He walked to the front gate and saw a few children gathered there. "What are the four of you doing?" He asked them full of curiosity. They all apeared to be around seven or eight.

"The mean things are comming. They are there, just out side. fifty feet away. None of you adults see them." It was the young girl from before. Her dark haunted eyes were centered on the road. Eragon instantly looked where she had pointed. His own gaze centered on the area of air that rippled as heat would when you looked in the desert. He then realised how dangerous things had just become. They could have entered the city any time they had wanted, could have killed so many of them and they never would have seen it comming.

"Quick shut the gate!" He ordered to the two men who stood infront of their wooden/stone walls. With the comand the rippled view was closed from ebntering. They only reached about 17 feet high. You could still see the tops of the largest houses from the out side. He turned to the little girl. "How can you see them?"

"They were standing right there. You would have to be blind to not have." She spoke as if they had been as plain to see as the light of day was.

"Will you do me a favor?" He asked her kindly, and she nodded. "I want you to go and ask Saphira to come here. Can you do that?" Again she noded. She ran in the direction Saphira had been five minutes before. He knew he could just ask Saphira to come him self, and that this was no time to be checking the abilities of the child, but sometimes people performed better under pressure. So five minutes later Saphira was seen walking to him.

"She asked me why you hadn't come to get her instead, I told her you wanted a favor, and then I told her about the five guys that no one else had looked for." The little girl spoke as if talking to dragons was a regular day to day thing.

"Do you talk to animals all the time?" She noded. "Well I need your friends to go back into towm. However, I would like you to go to the other gate and make sure it's closed all right? Tell them Eragon told you to bring the message, if they don't close it call Saphira and she will tell me." Again she nodded and off they all went. He spoke to Saphira, 'How can she see them, and speak to you? I just doesn't add up.' 'not everything will little one. I will take care of these spies and tell you of any others that are around. If there are too many for me to handle I will come back. Good luck.' With that Saphira lept into the sky and killed the two right out side the gate. He did not stay to listen to the rest of it.

He ran down the streets in search of everyone. He found Murtagh and Arya arguing. "Whats wrong with the color?" Arya questioned amused.

"It's too depresing. Look at it. All one color and so blue like. It reminds me of sad things."

"What are you two talking about?" Eragon had just entered the conversation.

"The color of her armor. It's a dull grey sad blue."

Eragon rolled his eyes and told them to prepare for the fight. "I guess it begins early. Find everyone and alert them, make it fast."

With that he ran to the other gate to make sure everything was fine, but it wasn't. He came just in time to catch the blade that had swung down to kill the little girl. He moved in a quick feint, then an inverse butterfly killng the creature. He closed the gates himself seeing as how the Urgal had killed the other two. He hid the little girl in one of the houses lining the street he was on. "Don't move and don't make a sound." With that he left the houses and killed the other three that had entered. He turned and was facing twenty-three more.

"Oh this is pleasently fair." He checked his stance by twisting his left foot in a small arch to give him a more secure sense of balance. While he had done this he sent an image to saphira. The image contained him hiding a small blonde child under a bed. With her dark eyes staring with calm anticipation.

The urgals took the time to creat a half circle around him. He kept his back to the house and waited for them. Five plunged to attack him. He blocked the first three quickly and killed them. In a quick swing of his blade he beheaded the fourth. The fifth was quick. It swung its blade aiming for his head. He parried it and ran the urgal through. When the urgal fell the rest fell over all sporting arrow heads.

"I couldn't let you have all the fun." The old woman stood there with Alymay and Arya. The three of them had shot all of the urgals in the few seconds it had taken him to defeat the one.

"Plenty of urgals for all. I'm sure I can find a few to share."

With that they all turned and climbed the house Eragon had used to give him cover. They lay down on the top to survey the outer wall. Whay they saw made them sick. There were some where around one thousand of them comming.

"Joy, a thousand of them, and four of us. This makes things interesting huh?"

"It could be worse sunny boy, it could be down right fascinating." 


	3. Memories

I own nothing! I just write for the fun of it. I allways have the habit of making the most interesting things happen in the first few chapters and just make the most eventful things happen, even if they are a tad bit unrealistic. Well stop listening to be blab, read the story yeah? Or I can keep blabing...Oh never mind. 

"What do we do now? We have a little over half of what they do, and they are far more prepared than we are." Alymay whispered.

"What we need is time, and I know just how to get it." Eragon stated. "We need a diversion large, and long enough that we can give everyone enough time. If they were to, lets say randomly combust, it might slow them?"

She glanced over at him wondering what in the word he could possibly be thinking of. "Is your brain rattled? Perhaps you need to stop being a fire bug and notice were in trouble!" Alymay allways had a temper and when she did not under stand things.

"A fire that is capable of stoping them. If they just happened to all catch on fire I am most certain that it can help us." So he swung around and climbed down the ladder into the house. They watched as he went to the gates and slipped outside. They could not see nor hear him from where he went but over half the enemy begame one large flame before the gate opened again. A tired rider steped back inside the semi safety of the walls. He looked up to them and winked. From there he ran back into town.

"What was he thinking! That trick was compleatly insane. Leaving the walls just to burn the enemy." She was not one to keep feelings hiden. Even if she tried to it wouldn't work. They allways some how managed to appear on her face. She sat up on the house and went to climb down when a majestic dragon landed on the roof. She scampered back wards in time to avoid the tale.

"I'm sorry, I hope your okay." Eragon slid from the dragons back and into the hatch on the roof leading inside. He came back out moments later with a tiny blonde girl clinging to his shoulders.

"Carilisia!(car-leh-siya)" Alymay lept to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Oh hello Alymay, I'm just fine." The little girl smiled and climbed onto the over sized dragon and straped herself into the sadle and Eragon climbed up behind her and they flew back off into town.

"What does that one's brain think it is doing! Bringing a seven year old any where by an animal like that!" She had already begun to dislike Eragon. She hardly ever liked anyone truth be told, but if she did she was loyal to them until the end.

"Ah don't worry little one. That dragon is safe enough."

"I ment the boy." Alymay climbed down into the house while the old woman cackled at the joke.

Alymay reached the bottom of the house and walked to the Eastern gate her head blazing in thought. She had not realised where she was going until she walked right into the local black smith. "Careful Alymay, your going to break your arm again if you keep walking into things and people." He helped her back off of the ground where she had fallen.

"I'm sorry Petey, and thank you for the reminder. That broken arm was one of the most tedious times to endure. Well I had better be on my way." And with that she waved good bye to him and kept on moving. When she reached the Eastern wall she noticed the final tale of one of the secret squads dogs flick behind the door. 'So they finaly went out to fight. Good Bonnie will be easier to talk to once she had been able to slay a few Urgals.' With her thouths to her self she noticed the gate was left slightly open.

She sprang forward and snaped it closed just in time. Three Urgals had just made their way over in attempt to enter as it seemed. She drew her bow and hand three arows ready. One on the string and the other two resting in her loose fingers. She climbed the over seeing ladder and shot the three down. While she took the time to shoot them, their own archers took the time to shoot her. Lucky for her their aim was horrid. However the cought her with an arrow just through the mussle between her colar bone and shoulder. She slid down the ladder to hide her self from view and over looked the wound. She saw Petey about to enter his house down the street right at the end. She called his name but he hadn't heared her because he went back inside his house.

She cursed under her breath when she heared urgals on the other side. She wasn't really in the condition to shoot with her arm in this shape. She reversed direction and climbed back up the ladder. She had another three arows ready by the time she reached the top. She drew one, looked over the edge and shot all three of them in three seconds. She ducked back behind the wall just in time. She pulled the arrow out of her and tightend in pain.

She shook the feeking off and readyed another three arrows. She loosed two this time before she had been shot. This time right in the chest. She fell back over the ladder and hit the ground hard. She spit the blood out of her mouth and lept back to her feet. She would not be beaten this easily. She took her last three arrows and climbed the ladder. The enemy had thought they had killed her and were not ready for the first two, but by the third they were ready. They released an arrow just as her last one left the twanging sound from her bow. It struck her in her stomach and launched her backwards back to the ground. She curled into a ball from the pain. The two arrows still in her body made it difficult to move, and to suck air into her ever resisting lungs and the darkness she feared more than anything close around her. She fell into memories of her past.

_** "Come Aly dear, I want to show you something."**_

_** "What is it father? A new dolly or pony?"**_

_** "No my sweat daughter something much more delightful. It's the family weapons. They have been in this family since your great grand fathers time. He made over half of them him self."**_

_** "I like this one." Her small child like fingers reached up and traced the outline of a dark wood bow. It had carvings down the side in the most splendid pattern. They were set in a deep gold with rubies out lining the two ends in down ward spirals.**_

_** "That one was allways his favorite as well." Her father smiled at her and huged her tight. "If you practice hard with your archery lessons I'll give that bow to you.**_

Now as her twisted form lay in the dust her fingers held tightly to a black bow with gold and ruby designs.

Thirty feet away in his office the black smith was reading him self for battle. He grabed his war axe from the shelf and walked out side. The second he closed the door he heard the unmistakeable sound of a body hiting the ground. He turned to the East to watch Alymay's twisted from lie there. He moved quickly and silently to her. He felt her pulse. There was the softest beat there. He picked her up and turned around and ran back into town. He brought her to the tent made for wounded people.

"Margy, MARGY!" And elderly woman steped into the tent from the other side.

"How lovely, Alymay just had to beat everyone else in the race to hurt them selvs. Lay her here and place her weapon there. If you can get it out of her fingers that is." The woman had indicated the bow Alymay still clung to.

Petey layed her down and nodded to the woman. "I'm off to where I found her. They must have more there if she was on the ground." With that he left the tent and ran back to the place he had found her.

_** "Aly you've gotten so well at targeting that bow. You haven't missed the center since you were little. I'm very proud of you."**_

_** "Thank you father." She ran to him and wraped her arms around him. "Wheres mama? Isn't she with you?"**_

_** "Um Aly your mother is still very sick." He put her back onto the ground after his tight embrace. He kneeled to he was at eye level with her. "She may not come home for a long time. She needs to stay in the city so she is closer to better doctors." He reached up and brushed on of her long locks of light brown hair from her face. "Don't worry, I'll allways be here."**_

Her happy memories turned to nightmares. "Father don't leave me! Don't die." A thirteen year old child clung to her father. "father don't leave me. Papa please?" She used her old nick name for him from when she was very little. "Please Papa don't go." She held onto him with tears running down her face. "Please?" But four men came and led her away from him. "Papa!" They had to lift her away from the scene.

Next she re-lived her brothers death.

**_ She was surrounded by lots of people. All of them gave her their respect but what did it matter? That didn't bring her brother, father, or mother back. Now she was alone. All but for her best friend in the world, Arya. "Arya I feel as if every one is leaving me. They are all closing their eyes and taking the journey to the quite lands leaving me behind. I feel so lost without them."_**

_** "It's okay Aly, I wont leave you, if anything you will be the one to leave me." Arya wraped her arm around her best friends shoulders and they leaned into one another. "The world will bet a better place. I just hope you can keep your spirits up long enough to see the place I speek of."**_

Darkness followed. She only moved when they extracted the arrows from her body and then it was in response to pain. She slept the rest of the day, and the rest of that night. What she had done would later be known as the N_ine Arrow Set Back_. Her nine arrows had saved many lives from being ended.


	4. Arrows Buddy

_I own nothing people. o Who would have thought? 3 (Ok I entered in a new species. It's a spright. This creature only has four emotions. Joy, anger, love, and hate. Their parents were not sprights, they were born inocent of heart and are the reverse of shades. Where a shade is cruel, a spright is kind. Get the idea? good. 3)_

The sound of the battle blanketed the town with fear. There was a dead scilence other than the clang of steel on steel, the screams of pain, and the howling of the enemy.

A women of about 5'5" exited the tent set up for the wounded. She had arived ten minutes before the first flesh biting swing was given. She had seven others with her. Her short brown hair leveled off in layers from the bottom of her ears to her shoulders. Her eyes gave her expressionless face a dark, cold sadness. Her thing bladed nose sat firmly and gracefuly above deep pink lips. Her high cheek bones were perfect for the slight pink tinge that seemed to lay in perfection on her face. Her eyebrows gracefuly arched over her eyes and gave her the look of dangerous beauty.

Her clothes were very strange. She wore an olive green shirt that had a strange silver device down the center. Half open, the silver device revieled a plain black shirt. She wore men's leggings that seemed to gracefuly fit her form. The were a pure deep black that had simple sowed designs on the ends of them. Upon her feet were a pair of strange black material. It was designed to her foot surely. Resting on her side reaching from her hip to her foot was a beautifuly displayed shealth. It was a pure white silver. Ornated with silver on the very tip reaching up in a graceful cureved and wavy line. The hilt of the sword inside the shealth reached halfway to her elbow. It was pure white except the single black line that twisted around it once.

What realy amazed Petey was her age. She could be no older than twenty. Yet there she stood talking to the other five, all dressed in the same clotheing colors with the same sword. The sword was longer or shorter depending on the owner. The only difference between the swords was the color of the line on the hilt. She gave them orders in a quite tone that spoke with power all on it's own. The only one who did not move was the man who had long blonde hair that was tied back behind his head in a low horsetail. He looked over at Petey and raised an eye brow. From there he shook his head and went to the South of the town.

"Can I do something for you?" Her voice was not cold, angry, amazed, nothing. She had mastered the skill of being able to strike fear into people without effort.

"Yes actualy. I wonder whom are you, and why are you here? Your group and your self seem to be highly trained simply by the make of your weapons." Petey spoke bravely refusing to give into the fear he felt.

She smiled slightly and the sad disposition she had carried with her seemed to fade. She held her hand out and he shook it. "I'm known as Z, just call me that. This little skirmish out side of these walls has brought my team and I here. Everyone of us is the best at the one thing we do. The color of the sword hilts tells you the ranks, as well as another thing, and the skill which ever on of us possesses. We followed the army up until a week ago. Knowing where they were going we made a large arch around them and reached here just before them. I realise this is odd to you, but believe me when one of them tells you to get down or move, do it." Her final two words, he took to heart. He couldn't tell you why he trusted her, he just did.

"Why are you here to help then? There are eight of you, even though every one counts, why did you take the trouble to follow?"

"It is what we do. I cannot explain any further, nor give you the names of my compainions. We are hunted by the crown for the trouble we cause in fighting their army. Please take this warning to heart, for you wont recieve another, my companions are dangerous. They may listen to me on battle orders, past that they do as they please. This includes hurting people in their way. I don't mean to harm you, however, they might. Wow I'm glad the formal stuff is taken care of!" The last part she said quite joyously.

"So do you have a name? Or must you join the ranks of the never ending nick names?" She asked him with child like inocence.

"I'm Petey, the town smith."

"You seem shocked, I wonder why?" She smiled and seemed like a little three year old that everyone cannot help but adore.

"Just a little. Your attitude just jumped from very serious to very, erm well spright like."

"I wonder why?" She giggled and turned to a horse that had walked up behind her. She ran her fingers softly and kindly down it's face and whispered somehting to it. The horse was pure black and seemed to hold great strength. The beast held it's head high and it's long mane lay over it's neck in an almost royal maner. It's tail brushed the ground as if it were trailing behind. It had no saddle or anything to suggest it had an owner.

"This is Hoshina. She is a wild horse, though she lets me ride her. I have yet to see a horse that can match her speed."

Petey thought it far more inteligent to stay clear of the horse. By the way she seemed she would trample him for even looking at her.

"Err well I have to be going to the eastern gate. I am most certain that I have spent too much time upon getting back there. Good day." Petey bowed his head to her and went off at a quick pace to the Eastern gate.

He reached the gate just as he heard evil laughter. He moved quickly to the ladder and climbed up. He reached the top and peered over to see five large urgals standing around ten dead ones. Two of them had been killed by the same arrow as it seemed. He looked at the others to see they had a small boy with them. They had knocked him unconsious. His body dangled limply from one of the urgals shoulders.

Petey saw his chance. He had his axe. He snuck back down the latter silently unlocked the gate. He then climbed back up and jumped down sliding his blade down from the top of the urgals head and cut him in two. He swung his axe in a twisting arch slashing one accrose it's belly spilling it's inards onto the dusty ground. He brought his axe up in a choping movement and in the last second pulled back and swung with the blade facing from him, all the way so the axe caused his body to spin. He was soon facing the same way and allready his axe bit into another. The remaining two were ready by the time he gained some balance. They did not wait for him to gain control on his footing, instead they charged at him with blades rusted from old blood they had never bothered to clear from the blades surface. He blocked on with the handle on his axe and took a step back gaining his foothold. He swung down on the urgals head all in one movement. With his other hand he had pulled out his dagger. He took and and slit the others throat before it knew what had happened. He picked up the small boy from the final urgals back and sliped back inside the gate. He closed and locked the gate and ran back to the medical tents. He handed the boy over to the blonde man he had seen earlier. He seemed to be about twnety as well.

"Thank you. I'll take him." The blonde took the small boy and layed him on a cot. He examined him and went into his black bag that reseted on his shoulder. He took out two wooden splints and a lot of bandage. He splinted the boys arm and wraped the cloth firmly. Petey knew he must be the herbalist or healer of Z's group. He marked in his minds eye that the deep green stripe ment healer.

He turned to leave when the blonde spoke, "Your lucky."

Petey turned around to see a set of silvery eyes resting upon him. "How so?"

He smiled, "She took the time to explain about us to you. She normaly just gives people a cold glare and tells them to bugger off." He looked highly amused. "By she I mean Z."

"Really? She strikes me as someone who is kind to everyone."

He shruged and went back to the boy. "Why are you all hear truthfuly?"

He sighed. "Many reasons. The most prominant would be to help fight Galbatorix." He took out a small wooden cube. It was three inches along the bottom. On the lid a beautiful rose was carved. It was so detailed it seemed real. If it was not for the size, Petey would have thought it to be real. The blonde man opened it and withdrew a golden string. It was as fine as hair. It was about three feet in length. The boy wraped it around the splint and it faded into the cloth. He placed the little box back into his bag and stood up to help everyone else.

"By the way, everyone calls me Guy." Guy went over to where Alymay was and shook his head. He pulled a golden chain from his neck. A small diamond vile hung on the end of it. Alymay being one of Petey's best friends he went over to the bed. "This is a potion mixed with a shades blood, rose oil, dragon bones, and the most importantly, a sprights blood. Since all sprights have the ability to heal themselves with thier blood it makes for an excelent healing potion. However, it needs a shades blood to make sure the blood of the person does not get sick from the blood. Since the body has natral bacteria inside it, it would be bad for the blood to kill it. It basicaly counter acts. The rose oil is to lighten the power. This specific potion is swalowed so it can heal more than the area it touches. Three drops can save one from almost certain death." He lifted Alymay's head and driped two drops onto her tounge. He made sure she lay down flat on her back before moving one.

Petey just stared at his back. Guy was so strange. He spoke to him as if the myth were true. What he most likely gave her was for pain. She had almost no chance of surving the wounds she had sustained. He just stared at her unmoving face and did not notice the small wounds on her arms slowly closing with no trace left behind. He stood and left after three minutes and went to the South gate.

"Who are you, and what are you doing?" The words came from one of the people who arived with the dragon rider. His hair just lightly brushed his shoulders.

"Peter, The town smith. Most call me Petey."

"All right then. Well I'm Murtagh. You can't go this way." He rolled his eyes. "Her royal magesty demands I keep people from walking into her fun zone."

"Royal majesty?" Petey asked him rather amused.

"Yes, Z. Met her have you?" He asked the last part when Petey's eye brows went up. "I've known her, Guy "he paused to roll his eyes," Jon, and Thom for years. I still don't get how she can be fifteen and weild that sword as if she had been doing it for thirty years."

Petey was only slightly surprised by her age. She may have appeared older, but her attitude said differently. She had yet to become arrogant like most twenty to twenty three year olds do. "So black must be fighting." Petey mumbled to himself.

"Naw, black is for magic. You've got the basic colors, Black, green, blue, white, violet, orange, red, yellow, and brown. Black as you know is magical talents, green is healing, white is spy or agent, violet is for tactical, orange is for knowledge, red is for riding, yellow is for leadership, and brown is for fighting. Simple really."

"Magic? So she is a spright? That would make her just as powerful as a shade, since they are the oposites of one another."

"Exactly. Well you had better be getting to the East or North gate. This one is well beyond covered." Murtagh nodded to him and Petey shruged and went to the North gate. Upon ariving he did not like the sound one bit. He arived just as someone fell from the gate when it was being hit to open. It seemed to be laced with pure power if it could still stand and have someone be knocked off.

He had his axe ready when he reached there. A black haired man walked up and down lined soldiers. He was cold and cruel. His sword had two color twists. Yellow and red twisted as one.

"None of you are as well trained as I would like you to be. So your just going to go into battle anyway. Is that clear? Good. I do not tell jokes nor do I care to hear any. Clashing metal is all I want to hear when that gate breaks down. If it isn't heard, then I guess the sound of tearing flesh and screams will be. You have nothihg other than your lives to lose at present. If you will not fight to defend your city, then you will never fight. If you wont fight for your life and the lives of others, then you will never fight. If you cannot handle this small skirmish, then you cannot handle life. Hold your head up high and fight with honor and trust in your self. Fear only brings mistakes, and I am sure none of you want to be remembered as the one killed by an urgal because you were to afraid to kill it. Well men, get ready. I want the archers to my left, swordsman to my right, axe bottom right, spears bottom left, dull weapons top right, and those with a bit of this or that to the top left. Move." Everyone moved.

"You, who sent you here?" The black haired one had turned to face Petey.

"Murtagh. He told me Z wouldn't let anyone near the south gate so he told me to go helo the North gate."

"You don't seem to have met Z, so Murtagh must have told you about 'em? Kay then I want you to move to the top of the gate and get a position for your self against the enemy. If you were sent as a request then you must be able to lead your self. I'm Jon by the way." He turned back to the group an comanded people to gain formations and ranks. All the archers were sent up ladders and were told to shoot once and get down. Twenty ladders were lined up next to eat other. Ten went up at a time. The far right started the up, while the one to its left was the down ladder. This made it so all fourty of the archers could shoot and climb down without being shot. They all went at a seemingly random pattern. Petey just glanced over the wall and formed a quick understanding. There were about 600 out side the walls and for them about 135. They were scatered all over the town mostly at the gates.

He climbed down quickly as he realised this. "Jon, the enemy can just enter the city from the sides, while all of us sit like duckies and protect the gates."

"No they cannot. Z has multiple people gaurding all of the walls. There are about 67 of us here in total, and believe me that is a lot when it comes to us. Since there are only 500 in our fighting force." He turned back to the archers and taped each one. He had ten stay there and pretend to change and the likes. The others were put to the task of setting up another twenty ladders. They continued from what they did before only ten went back to the others and it became more confusing. They moved faster to make it seem like there were another fourty archers. It was perfect for a scare technique.

"Sixty five killed sir. We need more arrows."

"How many do you have left?"

"Just enough for everyone to shoot two more."

"I'll be right back." Petey turned and left he moved wuickly and arived back at his house in no time. He went over to his freshly made arrows. They were worth 2g a piece. Made more too look better than most for competition, though they were just as effective. He grabbed a large wooden crate. He piled 370 into one and 180 into anothe. He went into his closet where he kept his best arrows. 167g a piece. They were made out of the finest metals. They were for show, though they killed with 59 more accuracy. He pilled his last 50 into another crate. He grabed bolts for cross bows and grabed five bows. He got his horse and went back to the north gate. Just as he arived they had run out of arrows.

He walked to Jon and droped the first crate on the ground and the other in his arms. Jon raised his eye brow. "Town smith." Petey shruged and pulled out on of 50. "These however are made to look and work better than normal ones. They should be given to the targeters.

"That and because how much they are worth for an arrow right?" Jon went to a white stalion. He took down a beautifuly carved long bow. It reached from the ground over his head. It was made of an ivory like substance and had golden vines twisting around it. It was made by elves. He pulled a quiver down to and attached it to his back he pulled a glass arrow from the quiver. They were all glass. "Watch the duckies while I take a few down yeah? Thanks." Petey shook his head as Jon climbed a ladder with just his feet and by the time he reached the top he had allready let loose an arrow. He drew and fired them so quickly that he had killed five every ladder. He let his last arow go when he jumped halfway down the ladder. When he landed on the middle half he bound off to the left of it. Twenty crudely made arrows flew over the top and landed thickly in the ground and the surrounding houses.

Petey just raised his eyebrow this time.

"What? Not one from making trouble process? Boring adults." He rolled his eyes and slung his bow back onto his horses back. "Well they are advancing on the gate. Get ready to draw your weapon and fight." He moved to his horse and jumped on.

Petey moved the crates from the arrows and bows and mounted his horse. He had a war horse. Covered in armor the horse was frightening just to glance at. Its tan coat made it seem regal. It's iron shod hooves stood still on the pavement while his tail whiped once to signal he was ready.


	5. One Stand and Fight, Two Run

I own nothing monkeys. Learn that! Thankies for learning! If you have that is. 

As the adults out side fought their way in battle no one seemed to be minding the children. They were free to wander as they pleased. Not Carilisia. The way the young child sat there and watched the ice filled rain drop heavily to the ground made him wonder. This was strange since he never wondered before.

Angela bent down and scratched the mischievous werecat that had wound his way between her legs._ 'She has potential, that one. Yes much potential. She knows.'_

_'Does she now?'_

_'Yes.'_ was the only reply.

"The clouds are dark." The tiny child stated. "Even though it is just mid way through this lovely day, the evening falls in a dishearting way." Her misty eyes seemed to hold a deal of knowing sadness, though they did not seem to hold the look of one who is feeling sad. "The battle has only just begun, yet there are more wounded than there are fighting.."

"Do you think they will lose?"

"What more than their lives do they have to lose? What more can any of us lose? We have but the simple treasure of life. After that there is nothing more they can take from us. Yet with every life that is taken, the more trouble the king shall have. We will lose this fight yes, but will we lose the war?" Her words spoke of something Angela had yet to see.

"What do you see that makes you so sure we will lose?"

"There is another force. They come with a great number. Once the enemy knew the rider was here, he sent his serpents eyes."

"I do not understand what you see. Explain it to me."

"In the dark I can see an old man. With eyes so cold. I can't get away from him. He calls to me every day in my dreams. He tells me his plans. He tells me what he wishes to do for me, if I help him. He will give me a preasent. He will give me my mommy. I want her back, but I know this man is evil."

"Tell me about his plans little one. What does he want from you?"

"He wants me to tell him what I see. I know that I could tell him and have my mommy back, but some how I know not to go to him. My mommy is gone. She cannot come back. Just like Papa, and Tommy. They are all gone. Gone forever in the darkend waters of eternal sleep."

The child just sat there and watched the rain fall. Angela knew better than to press the matter. She walked over to Solembum.

_'Go to Eragon and tell him we need to get the people out. There is another army coming. I fear the Ra'zac are among them. We must get as many people as we can as far away from her as we can.'_

_'I know.'_ With that he seemed to fade into the rain. Angela went to the tent of the wounded.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes actualy, I wish to speak with whom ever may be in charge." She had turned to see a young teen standing over a man with one arrow in his calf and another in his shoulder blade.

"That would be me." He said as he bent down and snaped one arrows end and puled it out quickly followed with a dab of a strange green liquid. "What is it you need?" He asked as he pulled the other from the mans leg and dabbed it with the liquid. He let the liquids set for a moment before he wraped the wounds.

"What I need is most of the people removed from here. There is a second army that is being led by the Ra'Zac. We need to get the people here out."

"I see. However this is a complication not ment for this time. If you will excuse me, I have a new patient. What you need to do is speak with Miss. Harumi. She is on the other side of the tent." He moved quickly to a badly wounded teen. "Nice Job Z. It only took you three hours."

"Oh Burn you evil being. If I didn't have legs... Oh how this task would have been more simple." She moved her hand to her forehead in a mockery of drama.

"Oh grow up a little. Stay still long enough for me to clean and bandage that. After that you can go back to slashing monsters."

"with a wound like that?" Angela couldn't believe how calmly they spoke. The wound on the young girls leg was awful. The slash went from the center of her muscle to her ankle.

"Meh. Once the wound is cleaned it will heal it's self. Thats bonus number one of being a sprite; Healers Blood. It's the nick name from the shades. It basicaly means" She paused and poke a small wound on her arm. It healed in a matter of moments. " I heal my self." She smiled warmly and poked the other. "Don't tell me I have to wait for you to finish... you allways take an hour." She looked bored some how.

Instead of staying to watch the strange pair she went in search of the women the teen had talked of. She found her helping a man who had his legs slashed badly.

"We need to get everyone out of here."

"Excuse me?"

"There is a danger. There is a path to the south west that will allow us to head to the desert. If it is followed we may have a chance."

"What are you talking about." the women asked annoyed as if Angela were attempting to tell a joke.

"There is a second army. They are comming here. We need to get as many as we can out of here. I came here first since it will take the longets amount of time to move the sick and wounded." With that Angela turned to leave.

_'I told the rider. He requested of me to find you. He says to find Murtagh and Arya and to meet Saphira and himself in the center square.'_

_'Well lets split up to find the two. I'll head North.'_ With that she went North. It only took her about five minutes to find Murtagh.

"Do you need anything?"

"Yes. I need a great many things, but that is not why I came to look for you silly! All of our group needs to meet in the center square in twenty minutes. Be quick in getting there." She spoke quickly and once the words left her lips she went on to center square.

"What is this all about? Standing around when there is a battle to be fought." The old women had appeared. Her old grey green eyes showed a sign of weariness.

"It wont be a battle in three hours time. It will be a slaughter."

"Thats silly. The enemy is leaving, and we are wining the battle."

"They are falling back for another attack. We are going to lose this battle."

If you lose a battle have you already lost the war?" Carilisia's soft spoken words penetrated the mixture of arguments. "Do you really thing the one battle determines who will win, or who will lose?"

"Perhaps it could indeed decide." The old women sugested.

"Depending on the time frame in which it took place." Angela added.

"Other than the time frame, what is it that determines the winner in a war?"

"The side with the most people left?" Murtagh asked with an oddly straight face.

"No. The side that has trusted their beliefes more than the otehr. The side that had the greater will to win.:

"Perhaps that can be true, how else could someone like Galbatorix win? Oh wait he cheated, so that rules that out." again Murtagh blessed the others with a quip of sarcasim.

"Yes allways. You did not concider time. Time tells all, knows all, is all. Without time there is nothing. WIthout anything there is no time. Esentialy time chooses the winner. Yeats ago Galbatorix defeated the last of the Dragon Riders, or so the tales say, though is it not true that, here standing before us, is yet another rider? In time the true winnders shall arise. In time Galbatorix will fall, but in time the riders will fall and the world will pass them to stories, legends, then into myths, until finaly they are forgoten. Time brings new knowlidge, but it also over shadows the past causeing us to forget our history.

Your waging war against the corrupted government built on lies and deceit, whether time is in your favor of not, we shall see soon enough." She spoke not one word to anyone else for quite some time. She may have been just a child of seven years in age, but her wisdom far surpassed her years.

"Come we don't have much time. We need to get the wounded and sick out first. They will take the longest." The women from the medical tent had appeared.

"Miss Harumi! So glad you could join us this wounderful eve!" Murtagh stroled over to her and began talking to her about somehting.

"Which group are you going to be part of in all of this Angela?" Eragon casualy inquired.

"Which ever group needs me the most." With that Angela chanced a glance to the West. "We could get out that way. There are around 30 that way at the most. The otehrs are around the three gates. I doubt the expect us to go that direction any ways."

"I just hope we can get out of here."

With that Eragon steped over to Saphira.

_'I hope that boy does realise the trouble that dragon of his is going to cause. It would make my job childs play without him.'_

_'Perhaps you need a challenge.'_

_'I suppose.'_


	6. Annibella?

_I own nothing but my own ideas:D Who could have known that? XD_

_(I would also like to state that if you have a specific character that you would like to be done next, let me know. I'm just too lazy to pick someone.)_

**I wonder duckys, should I reply to my lovely reviewers... Well I guess I would have to take the ones from the other chapters and reply to those too. moo.**

**darkestsoul-i really really like this story...it seems captivating already, so please update as soon as possible and keep up the great work!**

**Thank you! I like to skip the boring parts and get right to the fun when I write stories!**

**CarolinParksen- I just finished reading your other story so I read this one. It also has potential. It needs more though. It seems that you write the chapters one after another so a plot line keeps being signaled out, but thats ok. Write again soon.**

**Um thank you! I have a plot line planed out it just doesn't seem that way at first, but most of the things seen in the first few chapters tells a lot about the rest of them.**

**eragon lover-i love this story have you ever publiished any books i think you should if you can write like this it was just amazing i can't wait until the eldest comes out is august**

**Well no, my grammar and spelling are quite aful and my attention span isn't to great, but thank you! I'm sure not a single one of us can wait!**

**ShadowMoony- this is brillant! I LOVE ANGELA! I'm so glad she's in your story! You wrote this so very well. I really can't wait to read more!**

**Thank you! Angela is also one of my favorites. I just hope I can write her as well as the original writer. )**

**Well I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been grounded. dun dun dunnn, But I'm back now so everyone should love that fact. Love it, I command it of you.**

Telling everyone they had to escape right then was the easy part. Getting them out was a completly different story. They has already worked out a plan the best archers of each group, meaning which gate they had previously been gaurding, were to stay behind. There were about thirty of them. With ten archers a gate, it seemed like there was a chance to decieve the enemy, even if it was only for a little while.

The best of the swordsman were to go aheas of the group creating an outer ring to protect the civilians. The older chldren went first, each with one to five small children following them. All of the ordinary fighters created the outer ring to the swordsman, who seemed almost like highly trained body gaurds.

Three groups in this form left. While the sick and wounded had been sent out half an hour ago, Arya found herself worrying. She, Eragon, Murtagh, and Saphira were to be one of the final three to leave. Eragon and Saphira were going to creat a distraction while Arya and Murtagh helped the others to escape.

"Sprite, Spright whats the difference?"

"In the spelling silly! If spelt s-p-r-i-t-e then you mean one of the elders, or one on the list of ten, which would mean how kind they are, how powerful they are, and blah blah blah. A S-p-r-i-g-h-t would be the most comon of us wonderful creatures. Not that we are exactly common. In fact the shades have 67 more shades than sprights. ooo the second spelling also counts us as a whole! Silly of me to forget that really. I'm number three on the list so I can be called a an s-p-r-i-t-e if I wish it, but it's far more interesting to be called an s-p-r-i-g-h-t, don't you think? My twin sister is number two. Were the first set of twin sprights to be born into the rank of most powerful since the beging of the original dragon riders. Not"

"Okay I get it! I'm sorry I asked."

"Goody! It's always great to know when you can admit to a mistake!"

"Oh be quite."

"Never! I shall not be sile..." There was a muffled sound that seemed to be coming from inside one of the tents where the leaders were gathered to figure out how to evacuate the remaining few.

"what is going on here?" Arya had decided to get to the bottom of the arguments she could tell were taking place.

"Z keeps talking again as if some one had actualy been listening." Murtagh replied

"'Ey, 'oo 'asfed 'oo anyow'?"

"She did, obvious one now isn't it?"

"s'uff i'" she mubled back.

"I've already tried to stuff your mouth. It just hasn't exactly worked very well."

The girl just rolled her eyes and went back to her previous activities.

"Quite barmey that one." Murtagh crossed his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and acted quite loopy. At that exact second a rather large and heavy looking book smashed into his face.

"Aw di' 'at 'urt?" She asked through her gag piece.

"no, not at all. I'll just take a five minute..." He said as he fell backwards into a dream like state.

"Eragon says that we need to be leaving this city now." They all turned to the small girl in the door way. "Alright Carlisia lets get going then." Arya walked over to the little girl and extended her hand to her. They began to leave the ten as everyone else picked up their things and set out.

Two hours later they found themselves miles and leagues away from the city. They could still see the smoke filled sky as the small city burned.

"I don't feel very well." Caralisia mubled into Arya's back.

"Then we will stop at the nearest stream alright? That is the best we can do for now. "

"Alright."

Seven hours later the party was able to stop. They had managed to find a stream a few hours back and were able to help Carlisia feel better, she had fallen into a deep sleep a little while after.

Just as the pale moon light began to fade into a beautiful, clear, grey sky which pre determined the dawn, a blazing fire tore it's way into the small forest they had used to hide themselves from the enemy. They were on their feet and ready to leave within minutes.

They had escaped the fire surely, however, they had not escaped the trap. Waiting for them in a brown cape trimed with gold, black boots and burgundy leggings, leading up to a cream colored tunic over an olive shirt. "Ah, how lovely it is to see you again sweet Annibella. It's been a while has it now? Oh look, you even found dear little Carilisia on your trip. No doubt tired from recieving the images of the other army, I should think."

"Then you planted those there, so we would think there was a threat, and to leave and fall into your trap?"

"No, my dear sister's twin of image. The other army was coming, for you and Carlisia. I couldn't let that happen to my own partial family now could I?"

"Yet you can attack my friend when she's unarmed or armed just to have fun. You can attempt to kill her every day. You can kill her friends and people or animals she cares about for fun. Yet you could not alow us to stay there and be defeated?" Annibella demanded.

"Of course not. How much fun could that be for me?"

With those taunting words,Annibella Was off her horse with her sword in hand slashing down in an intricate, yet simple patteren heading straight for his head, in a maner of seconds. "You sick," Their swords clashed together in a metalic ringing sound, "twisted," their swords moved in a frightening rythm, "evil little man."

None of the others could stand and watch for much longer. For servents of Galbatorix were pouring out of the trees.

"Eragon and Saphira have just escaped." Carilisia whispered into Arya's ear as the clang of the siblings blades clashed in malice.

"Alright. Don't mention that again alright? Let no one know that you were the one to tell him." She whispered back.

"Those of you that aren't engaged in a threatful battle," The man speaking smiled a nasty smile, "Follow me. If you don't then you risk the same fate as the real Miss. Zerenial."

"What did you do to her?" Jon, Guy, Dinah(deeks), Nayameik, and George, who were Z's, or Annibella's companions, all had their swords drawn. Jon and Naya's at his neck, and the others keeping anyone from coming close to them.

"Arested her for treason quite naturaly!" The man snarled at them.

"How can it be treason if this is not her natural country? She is a part of Morlinak, a neigboring country."

"Well if all of you would come with me," The man who Annibella had attacked was carying her over his shoulder. "Now as you can see, Ms. Annibella's hair is always the same length and always the same shade," He smiled twistedly at the word shade, baring his teeth in a menacing way. Clearly pointing out the fact that he was a shade himself," She could not possibly be the sister I am curently looking for. So if you want her back, your going to follow me." With that he went down the path through the forest, a limp Annibella hanging from his shoulder.

"Damn him." With that the five of them had their swords in thier shelths and were following him.

"I love when loyalty to others works in your favor."

"As for all of you, come with me." He turned and walked back down the path.

Two hours had passed since they had arived at what apeared to be an enemy base.

Before anyone of them had realised what had happened the enemy returned and took Carilisia away from the group. They led her away and only after she was gone that everyone noticed she was missing.

"Damn their mind tricks." The old women in the center of the group cursed.

"You are all free to go." A man of about 6'5 stood in front of their small group. His black hair was long enough it just lightly brushed his shoulders. Beneath the coat of hair that covered half of his face, there lay a pair of pale, almost colorless, grey eyes. They were so light in color, without the darkened center they could have blended in with the rest of the eye. He wore the same uniform as Z, and her companions. Around his waist he bore a sword. Twisting in twin spirals were two shades of

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. None of you are who we were looking for. Your the enemy of our enemy. There for our friends at the moment. However, we do not like you at all. So take what you have with you and leave."

"Though it seems odd." A voice mentioned behind the first. Acording to my tr,"

"watch what your saying here..." The boy interupted.

"What ever, acording to my T.D. Anni should have been with them... wheres my Anni?" The gril requested quite rudely. With that she jumped onto the others back and they could see her face. She looked exactly the same as Z, only her hair was far longer.

"Anni?"

"Yesh, mai Annay." She hoped off his back and sat in the middle of the road and whined. "I want my Anni!"

"She went with the meany guy."

"Meany guy? Ohh you mean Suwah? Pfft that ducky needs to get hit by a b,"

"Z, watch what your saying!"

"I don' wanna." With that she sat there and pouted.

"No it's not fair, it's not fair!" Murtagh whined then. "Not the both of them in one day! What did I do to deserve this?"

"Murry!" With that the girl known as Z jumped out of her pouting state and tackled Murtagh and hugged him. "I haven't seen you in forever! I missed you!"

"I can feel that. Do you mind getting off?"

"Yes, indeed I do. I need a Murry chair." She had chosen to sit on Murry's back after she had knocked him over when giving him a hug. "Murry, where is everyone?"

"what do you mean?"

"I mean Anni, Guy, Jonny, Deeksy, Georgy, and Naya."

"With Annibella who was taken by Suwah."

"That evil pile of dead tree waste upon an Iris." She scowled. "Stealin' my Anni, Guy, Jonny, Deeksy, Georgy, and Naya."

"Don't worry, we'll get them back." Murtagh reasured her.

Arya had chosen to sit their and listen in on this strange conversation.

"Ooo must poke..." Z muttered under her breath. She had been off Murtagh and poking one of Arya's pointed ears in a matter of seconds. "Waaahhh! I'm sorry they were just so pointy, and in need of poking."

Arya just stared at her incrediously. "How old are you?" She finaly asked truly curious.

"five and a half."

"You look 18."

"My body is 18."

"Okay then."

"exactly."

"Oh I almost forgot! How silly of me! You and your company must be hungry! As well as in need of talking to your group leader." She had been talking to the group one moment and looking right at Arya.

"Well everyone follow Tommy here and go eat some food. Miss Elfy, and Murry, you guys have to follow me." She said this and walked away expecting them to follow her, and follow they did.


	7. Dreams to Tears

_**I own nothing got that monkeys? Who would have thought right? Well anyways here is the next chapter. **_

_**I am sorry I haven't posted in a while! My computer kind of broke... anyways I hope you like the story!**_

_**Reviews-**_

_**darkestsoul:**_

_**lol...very funy! i love it... stupid evil shade! and as Z put it he is "That evil pile of dead tree waste upon an Iris" which is quite funny... now anyways... keep up the great work!**_

_**Thank you! I like some funny here or there. I shall keep up the great work! -gets a very determined expression.- -.- wow thats tiring work! hee hee hee Well my faithful reviewer have a muffin for being the best. -gives them a muffin.-mmmm muffins... I'm going to go bake muffins.**_

The Story!

_"When the sky reaches the darkest color, just before it lightens is the most magical time. You can never truly know what to expect. You must remember though, the worst of things have just an equal opurtunity to surface."_ A soft silky voice filled Carilisia's ears.

_"Never let the downward feeling bring you to it. It's always best to hold your head high, love. Don't let those disparing thoughts fill you."_

_"What if I slip? What if something so horrible happens, like you and mommy leaving me, that I cannot halt those quivering thoughts from surfacing?" She could hear her own voice now, or what should have been. Those haunting words brought tears to her eyes, though she chose to listen on._

_"My dear child, always remember that for every bad thing that happens to you that exact amount of good must be happening to another. It may not equal out in your mind, though it will seem so to them."_

_"I don't under stand. How can losing my family be healed by knowing another is just as happy."_

_"Well their happiness may not seem much to you, but to them it could be a rare and beautiful thing to have so much joy bestowed upon them, even if it's something small, a tiny bit of joy can save a life. Remember not everyone is a fortunate as we are."_

_"Why do people have to suffer than? Why can we all not be happy?"_

_"There must be a balance within everything. Take nature for instance. Nature is niether good nor evil. It remains in balance. For every rainy day, there is a sunny day. It may not seem so to you, but it happens all the time. That is the way with people and happiness."_

_"So if there is a world filled with evil people, there must be just as many good people?"_

_"Yes darling, just as many. It's up to you to chose which ones are good, and which ones are just lost, for they aren't truly evil, they were just taught to be evil by someone before them, therefor they are never truly evil.They aren't to be hated, instead you should love them as you would anyone else."_

With those final words fading in Carilisia's head she heard different voices, "Her memory is not reflecting what we wish it to. I suppose we will just have to ask her."

"I tooolllldddd yooooooouuuuuuu soooo!" Z taunted as she entered the tent. "hello little one!" She exclaimed to the awakening child. "How was your sleep? Good, not bad? Well I should hope thats how it went! Are you hungry at all?"

"Excuse me, I'm not sure who you are ma'am but you cannot just walk in here and attempt to take," the voice was interupted.

"Oh? I suppose your the one who is going to attempt to stop me?" Z laughed a wicked laugh. "I wonder what is your number of exseses?"

"It's two. Higher than the average amount."

"Oh okay then. So are you coming then dear?"

"Now just wait a minute! I'm going to get the superior of this camp here if you don't leave her there. I'm under strickt orders from sir Tolk, and I expect to follow them."

"Aww Tolky is such a push over." She said as she rolled her eyes and hellped Carilisia to her feet and was just about to leave.

"Stop! You cannot leave. Nor can you insult a superior guardsman in such a manner!" He said as he moved to block the tent entrance. He extended his arm straight out forward and stood there.

"Do I have to make you move then? Alright but it's your fault." She spoke with a hint of laughter in her voice. She stepped forward and grabed his extended arm's wrist and twisted it behind his back. Using her left foot she sweeped it beneath him sending him to his face in a matter of a few seconds. "Bye!" She called as she led Carilisia out.

"Where to know My Dear?"

"I don't understand Miss, where am I at?"

"Well I'm sure your on the ground in the middle of a forest of corse!" Carilisia just stared at her and came to a halt wondering if she did not quite comprehend the question. "Well come along silly, it's about lunch time. You've been sleeping for days! Your friends refused to leave without knowing of your well being."

"Oh."

Miles away in a burning pit that once was the small town many lives were lost to protect were two people, one shade, and one spright. The spright sat on what used to be a wall and sang the most melodious and sad songs "Henum-ralin ahmi yomin sal-lii true-lenti adorah saliti sona-kima tro-linci yabrin. Sajiimi jorun-ica solem-biyan ickle-nef so-seek amin. Sayor-ra i-bishneb somii-sentriek solembi ohm. Heshnarla sentickro som sebrimo santishna seleb keesh sho nef" The strange words were sad and beautiful.

By the end of the song the spright had tears down her face and a soft pale blue light began to suround her.

"I see you are giving an opening for sleep? Thats right, dear sister, sleep."

A spright or a sprite only ever felt sarrow if he or she was going to sleep. For once they slept they did not awaken until the turmoil of the world was over. Now that she had given up, only one of the sprights remained for all the rest had given way to the slumber of war.

Eragon awoke in a cold sweat. He had only been sleeping for ten minutes when his nightmares struck. He couldn't get over the guilt of leaving his friends behind. The guilt of it all tugged at his heart becoming almost unbearable.

'Don't alow it to bother you. There isn't much you can do.'

'I know, but I wish I had done somehting! Can we not go and see if we can rescue them?'

'Yes we shall, but first you need your rest. That will be a dangerous mission.'

Carilisia had just finished eating when Alymay limped over to her and held her in a tight hug. "Oh I'm so glad to see your alright!"

"The same to you! You look far better than you did before!" Carilisia had noticed most of Alymays injuries looked far better.

"Well thats because they fixed me up quite well here, sure I hurt my foot pretty badly when I fell off that ladder but other than that I'm quite well. Well there are the three holes in my body, but those aren't anyfun."

"Well thats great."

"I'm glad that nothing has happend to you!" Alymay still hadn't released Carilisia from the bone snapping hug.

"Well if you don't mind, would you be a dear and get me some air?"

Almay laughed and let her go. "I'm just so over joyed that your okay Ri!"

"I'm overjoyed myself that I'm okay." She smiled.

"Carilisia!" Arya stood in the door way and smiled. She wore the most beautiful garments. Her pale blue shirt and leggings matched perfectly with rust colored boots and hair ribbon, which tied her long hair behind her. The belt she wore was of gold with saphires and garnets expertly laid into the threads of gold. On either side of the belt a weapon was hung. On the left was a long black leather shelth with a golden tip that seemed to be in an 'A' like pattern. The part that formed the top of the 'A' reached an inch from the bottom in a perfect triangular pattern. A centemeter thick on each side a downward triangle formed the cross in a beautiful patern.

"Arya! I missed you!" Carilisia exclaimed jumping up and hugging her. "You hadn't visited in a while, why not?"

"I was drawn away by a, problem." She said unsure of what to speak to the child.

"Well thats okay, I'm just happy to see you!"

"Well come now little one! It is time for bed." Z said in a fake mothery voice that sounded stern, in a funny way.

Within the tent where all the children were sleeping Carilisia was placed between a girl with blonde hair and many freckles, and a brunette boy who looked extremely bored.

"Well now it's story time!" Z sounded positively radient with joy. Her stories were enlightening at time, though they made for rather poor bed time stories.

Tonight I shall tell the story of the Wise Man and the Fool.

'I pity the fool who fell into a poor man,  
Though I pity the wise man who lived like a fool.'

"The Wise Man. The wise man was of course extremly wise. He always knew the best way to solve just about any problem. Even though in order to solve many problems he had to give away many of his own possessions, he was happy that he could help. He knew that sharing your splendor with those less fortunate then your self, was one of the most precsious gift one could give. He was a mild natured man, never lost his temper, always spared time to give advice and even though he was quite old, he never said no to a person in need. He went on his merry way for as long as anyone could remember. Until the day he met the fool."

Z spoke in the captivating way only a select few could. Her words filled with a lesson, also held an interesting story behind them. You never knew what to expect from her stories, though you could always tell the people in the room were indeed listening.

"The Fool. The fool was indeed very foolish. He may not seem foolish to you perhaps you are too similar to the fool? The fool was a very greedy man. He always took from people and never once gave anyone anything. He hadn't any friends, but was to preoccupide with getting more money, he never noticed how lonely it was to be him. When he went to vilages, he pretended to be a poor lonely traveler, the vilagers, unaware of his greedy heart, always took pity on the poor fool. They fed, sheltered, and even clothed him in new clothes for the ones he wore were all rags for he never wished to spend any money to buy new ones. Eventualy he came to a town where a 'foolish' man was said to be. People called him a fool for he gave away everything he owned to anyone in trouble. Little did this fool know, the fool he went to see was the Wise man.

When the fool finaly reached the wise man he was under the impression he could fool him into giving him his money, or anything else he owned. He would use an old fools trick.

"Excuse me sir, but I am in need of help. Could you please help me?"

"What is your problem lad?"

"Well you see, I'm a lonely traveler and I haven't any money. I was robbed, I was hoping I could tell you a secret in exchange for something?"

"Why you poor dear, here I believe I have some food if you would like. Don't bother with that secret." The wise man knew this trick quite well. He instead of giving the fool his money, he offered him food. When the traveler said he hadn't need for food, the thievs left him that, the wise man offered him a blanket. The fool once again told the wise man he still had that item, the thieves hadn't taken it. The wise man listed everything until the fool would have said 'No the thieves left me that.' However, the wise man asked him if he had any money, the fool not knowing the trick snapped at him. "Of course I have money you old fruitbasket! Why couldn't you just be kind and give me the money! I need that money!"

"What for?" Questioned the wise man.

"I told you, because I was robbed!"

"So you were trying to swindle me? I thought you might when you turned down a fresh meal. I thought you might when you turned down the blanket, the fresh clothing, the cleaning tools, the shoes, the stockings, the quill and ink to write home telling them you were in trouble, and I knew you were when you told me 'Of course I have money.' Now you see traveler, I do not give to greed. That only builds the greed to worst things."

" You crazy old man! I need money! I can't survive without it please help me?" The fool had not heard what the wise man had told him. He thought the wise man was talking about another item he could offer. He had not realised that he had already admitted that he had not in fact been robbed, but most likely to have done the robbing.

"Good day to you young sir." The wise man stepped past him and went on his merry way, his long silvery grey hair whisping behind him.

The fool was angry. He had been tricked! How could he, as good as he was, be fooled! He couldn't understand what had happened. He asked himself "How could one crazy old man distract me so? He must have known I was going to trick him! Tommorrow I shall arive in disguise and I shall trick him then!"

The next day came and once more the foolish travler went to where the wise man was. That day he was dressed, and wore a fake wig and beard to apear as an old man.

"Please sir, I need your help." He weezed in a broken old man's voice. "I feel ill and no one will help me. I haven't the money to pay for medicine, I heard you might be able to help me?" The fool thought for sure he had tricked the wise man.

The wise man stood up and reached in a bag he had around his waist. He dug inside and pulled out some herbs and the tools to make medicines. "Tell me, what is your illness."

The fool did not know what to do then. He decided to say, "I do not know. I feel clamy, and my head is all abother. I'm so weak and so tired. I can hardly do much. It nearly exsausted me leaving my bed to dress today. I do not know what is wrong with me, please I need help." The fool thought that sure enough the man would give him money so he could go and buy medicine.

But oh no, the wise man knew somehting was not quite right there. The old man had complained heavily about being tired, though he didn't look tired at all. He has said he had nearly been too tired to move after dressing himself that morning, how was it he had gotten to him? Then the wise man knew. It was the same greedy man from the previous day. He was quite indignant with the way he treated him and he told him so.

The fool was not at all happy now. For the next several weeks he followed the wise man spending his money like crazy trying to keep his disguise from apearing. Soon enough, he hadn't any money at all.

It was when he was on the street sitting there staring at the stones that made up the path way the wise man walked up to him. "I think you may need this friend." The wise man had handed him a piece of parchment. With that he walked away whistling merily.

The fool opened the piece of paper and did not expect what he found He found the words 'To give the gift of friendship, is the kindest thing one can do.' The fool, now a poor man did not understand. Then he saw a little boy. The little boy had badly worn clothes, and looked hungry. He knew what he wanted to do from then on and he did it.

He followed the wise man's path. He helped where he could, and gave what others needed. Until one faithful day he met another fool, and then he knew what that paper ment. You can have everything you've ever wanted and be the smartest person in the world and still be a fool. The poorest man may not have any money, or much food or clothing, but because he has friends and a family, then he will have spent his life well. The rich fool may have anything he ever wants and thinks the wise poor man has nothing, when the poor man may think the same thing as he tucks his tiny daughter into bed."

Her story finished with mostly everyone drifting off to sleep. A few of the older children were still awake talking very quitely to one another about the story, for that was how things often went.

"Lookit! They are all happy now!" Z exclaimed from the doorway. "Can I go get moy friends now?" She asked while giving them an adorable smile that only someone that seemed like they were three years old could give.

"No, your going to have to stay here. Were going to get them." The speeker this time was a man of about 6'2. His hair was a long black shaggy mane, and his eyes were just as black to match. His skin color was a bronzed color with a cream colored marking stretching up his left arm. He word a sleeveless cream colored shirt, and black leggings of the same material as what half of the rest of the people in the area wore. He bore a sword that had a golden stripe and the rest of it was black, not the white of the other six they had all seen. This intreagued Carilisia.

"What does the golden stripe with a black backround mean?"

"He's the leader of a legion of the undead, he gets black for that, and the gold means he's evil." Z said.

"It does not." He began iratably and everyone was sure they hear Z mutter "crabby penguin" as he talked. Completly ignoring her and responding to Carilisia's question. "The black means I lead large groups at a time, and that if for anyreason any of the main Generals are killed, then I take their place, not just the lowest of the generals. The gold means I am prowessed in all fields."

"Know it all." Z giggled.

"Oh? What about you? Ms. Diamond stripe."

"I'm just special! You Jelous Hippie."

"Whats a Hibbie?"

"Err it's Hippie, and never mind." Z said with a shifty eyed expression. "Anyways onward!" She exclaimed.

"No not onward, your staying here."

"I am not, Kevin Linty Tolk. I am going where I wish to."

"Yeah, and I'm a pink shoe on a golden duck." Tolk responded annoyed,"You can't go, you have things to do here, remember?"

"I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna!" Z whined at him. "I wanna go find my friends!"

"Too bad, you can't."

"Can too."

"Can not."

"Can too."

"Can not."

"I'm gonna go anyways meany pants!" Z said as she stalked off for the forest. "I want to go find my friends and my sissy and your not stopping me, if you try I'll have you demoted!"

"Sure you will." He said with an eye roll.

"I will." She said. Her voice was no longer in its childlike way. It sounded much more like it should and much colder than any of them would have liked to hear.

Someone had appeared behind Arya, Alymay, Murtagh, and Carilisia. "A Spright's anger isn't something you want to be dealin' with mind you. Devilish little things they are when they want to be. If you had to chance between and Shade's anger and a Spright's, take the Shade." He had a strange accent that no one seemed to be able to recognize.

"Thats just silly, Shades are far scarrier than a kind sweet Spright could be." Said the blonde girl Carilisia slept next to. "Shades are the worst."

"Nah little missy. Little Z may be cute and cuddly when she wants ta be, but when she is in one of her little moods, I'd stay clear of her. She's older than she looks and admits to. She's one of the oldest known sprights in exsistance. She is far more powerful that you realise."

The little girl didn't believe him. "Now your just a silly grown up. My daddy taught me all about Shades. A Shade's wrath is the worst thing possible. Even the Ra'Zac don't pose as much a threat as the Shades."

"Little missy, you don't understand. Sprights aren't considered worst than the little buggers you call shades because they aren't often angry. Though their anger takes up the missing emotion's a Spright doesn't have. Such as fear, surprise, shock, disbelief, and all the other ordinary feelin's you feel every day, they don't feel. They are either happy, angry, love, and hate. They are fearless naturaly due to fear being an emotion, though they can feel sadness. That is truly how a spright dies really. Sadness. It's called a sleep to them, more like death to me. They never wake up again unless the turmoils of the world are over, so thats a long time to sleep. Some o' them though wake up after a while. Like Z did.

"Though 'fraid your gunna have'ta aske her on that one. None of us are sure why she's back either. It's a blessing I suppose given her power, but when she woke up is a mystery. Always blundering on about some insane contraption or another. Nutters the lot of 'em.

With the final statement of 'nutters' Carilisia was not so sure which one was the nutter, him, or Z. Perhaps both.


End file.
